An owl, which was rescued from the Uran Highway and sent to the Bombay Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Hospital at Parel for treatment by two animal enthusiasts last Tuesday, has died due to “irrevocable injury and infection”, said the hospital authorities. According to them, the owl died at 2 am on Thursday.

The bird, identified as Eurasian Eagle Owl, was a non-resident species and probably brought to the city to be sold in the illegal market, according to bird experts. It is said to cost as much as Rs 1 lakh per kg in the black market, according to sources.

“This owl, called Bubo bubo and also known as Eagle Owl or Great Horned Owl, is classified under IUCN’s ‘Least concerned’ category. It is, however, not commonly sighted as it is nocturnal. Neither is it a native to Mumbai or Maharashtra,” said Prashant Mahajan, an expert at the international NGO Earthwatch.

The owl was found on the road and rescued by two MSc students, Nitin Walmiki (25) and Amol Kumbhar (24). Walmiki said, “The bird’s right wing was badly injured and large maggots were seen around it. We administered antiseptics and rushed the owl to BSPCA. Though the bird was in bad shape, its immune system was still strong and we expected it to survive.”

BSPCA Inspector Sunil Ranade, who had admitted the owl to the hospital and conducted an initial check-up said, “The owl’s main wing muscles were damaged by maggots and even its bones were eaten up. The maggots had damaged some of its organs too. We were planning to carry out a surgery and clip off the half-eaten bone. But the bird died before that.”

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